'Hands are tied' as Carmichael Outreach needs tents for shelter in Regina

Carmichael Outreach in Regina is asking for tent donations from the public as more and more people have turned to the organization for shelter.

It has been more difficult to house people since the provincial government cut the Saskatchewan rental housing supplement, according to Robyn Badger, who works in housing at Carmichael. 

"We've had a great amount of people that have been coming into Carmichael who have absolutely no shelter," Badger told CBC Radio's The Morning Edition. 

The rental housing supplement helped welfare recipients and those with disabilities into better rental housing. Those qualifying for the top-up receive anywhere from $84 to $364 per month, on top of regular Social Services benefits.

On Thursday, they had to give at least one person a tent so they could camp else where because there is no room at Carmichael. That person received a tent and set up at the Justice for Our Stolen Children Camp, Badger said.

Badger said the organization is looking to get as many tents as it can, which can be dropped off at Carmichael's temporary location at the old Sears building from the Sixth Avenue and Rose Street entrance. They're also looking for sleeping bags and other supplies.

Other shelters haven't had the space to help the people who've turned to Carmichael and some landlords have been unable to cover the costs, Badger said.

"We're hoping that the landlords and the government realizes that we need help and that this is a cry for help," she said.

"These people need help, they cannot be doing this during the wintertime because it is already getting cold out and our hands are tied."